A search for former Chinese President Hu Jintao’s name on the country’s social media sites misses his apparent expulsion from the closing ceremony of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
On the Weibo network – the equivalent of Twitter, which is censored in the Asian country – the most recent post about Hu dates from October 18 and includes some of his comments on the country’s economic development. All other results are brief references to his presence at the opening of the PCC congress on October 16.
On Twitter, accounts specialized in Chinese politics were quick to share images of the former Chinese leader being suddenly removed from the closing ceremony of the congress, which took place this week in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Hu, 79, is sitting in a commanding position at the head table next to his successor, current leader Xi Jinping, when two officials approach him.
The former president appears to briefly argue with one of the officials, while the Party’s Politburo Standing Committee member Li Zhanshu, who is seated on the other side, places his hand on the former leader’s back.
Hu gets up and talks for about 30 seconds with the two men, and seems reluctant to leave. He is then escorted away, with one of the officials holding his arm, while other Communist Party members, seated behind the head table, watch.
Before leaving, Hu appears to say something to Xi Jinping and gives Premier Li Keqiang a friendly pat on the shoulder.
At one point, as Hu is standing and arguing with two men before leaving, Li Zhanshu seems to be trying to get up from his seat, but is pushed back by another Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning, who is sitting on the other side. other side.
It is not known what led to Hu’s withdrawal.
China’s current leader, Xi Jinping, emerged during his first decade in power as one of the strongest leaders in modern Chinese history, almost comparable to Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic, who led the country from 1949. to 1976.
Xi must break with the political tradition of the last decades in this congress by securing a third term in power.
Source: TSF
